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Monday, August 19, 2013

Strategizing: Roblox Battle Part 3: The Rocket Launcher

Decisive tool of destruction or the poor man's personal cannon? That is the question we will be asking here in part 3 of our ROBLOX Battle guide, this time covering the widely used classic, the rocket launcher.

As always, we're going to first break the weapon down to it's bare mechanics. The rocket launcher of old was a simple gray bazooka shaped mesh that shot blue 2-3 stud slow traveling missiles that also made a "whooosh" sound as it traveled, getting closer and closer to it's impact point until it eventually blew up on a surface, or an unlucky robloxian, blowing them to smithereens. While the ROBLOX Battle rocket launcher, is more detailed, and features kind of a nerf compared to the classic rocket launcher. It features a kind of slow reload, and does only 75 damage, leaving your victim with 25 health left to regroup instead of turning them into plastic bits.
Although more interesting, you can er, "rocket jump" with the weapon if you're able to aim your cursor at your feet which will send you into the air, but in a more pitiful way compared to the rocket jump of the TF2 Soldier, but if you somehow are able to successfully do this you'll have about 25 health left and with not many uses for this thanks to the map design, it's best to avoid rocket jumping with the rocket launcher unless you really want to.

So why is this weapon so low on the list, since we have 3 more to go? Well, it's hard to explain but this order is my personal picks of weakest to the most powerful weapons so you don't exactly have to follow my opinions, but back on topic. The rocket launcher lacks a little less punch than it's ye olde counterpart, but it makes up for it with it's easy use and reload animation to tell you when you actually have a rocket loaded. Most of the actual power comes from old brickbattle tactics though. Someone chasing you with a sword? Rocket launcher from behind, blow them up. Enemy on a lower elevation? Jump down and launch your projectile of explosive property.

And something else to note, backblast will not kill you due to explosion radius being tweaked to be a bit smaller than normal. I found this out the hard way by chasing someone with the sword and them deciding to pull out the rocket launcher and blow me up. Yay.

To conclude, the rocket launcher is a bit underwhelming thanks to the reduced damage, but you can easily make up for that by tricking your enemies into thinking you actually have something like a sword. Rocket jumping is pretty much useless as I see for now, since losing 75 health for a small jump boost is a bit too much risk for minor reward. Easier use will make this weapon a widely used tool, mastering it can put you on top of the competition quickly as all most people will use is the rocket launcher, or sword. To close, the matchups.

V.S. Slingshot

It all depends on the skill level of the user and your health, if they can blow your rockets up with the slingshot projectiles then you might be at a slight advantage, but if your health is low then it's time to back off so they can't take hits. Full health though? Go ahead.

V.S. Sword

If you actually have experience against foes with swords, it wont take long to dispatch them then, using the backblast on the rocket launcher will kill them if they're able to get close but it's recommended to try this if they have less than full health.

V.S. Bomb

Long range is an easy fight, predicting where they will move will be immensely helpful. Though, most bomb users will attempt to just chuck it at you without bothering to shorten the fuse. Short range may be a problem if "suicide bombing" is a tactic being used thanks to the launcher's reload speed.

V.S Superball

Switching to another weapon is the best option against a superball user, their throws are much faster than your rockets and barely have an actual reload so DPS is a big problem. Elevation though, being higher up easily gives you the advantage since you can just drop them with maybe one rocket and a quick sword swipe, but be sure to keep the deflector handy.

V.S Deflector

This is a losing battle as soon as you know it if the deflector user is competent in their ability, but if they are unable to carry out the actual proper use of the deflector, then an unpredictable firing pattern should help you carry this engagement to victory.

V.S. Rocket Launcher

Elevation, range, and firing pattern is what will determine your outcome. Higher elevation means you can rain rockets down upon them, closer range is a much riskier fight, and firing pattern is another key to the rocket launcher, don't be predictable. Use those, and you just might come out on top.

Apologies for nothing last week, as school has started and I will be a bit less busier. I will attempt to write at least one article per week now, longer lengthed since it'll be only one. We will have to see though. As always, have a nice week.